Plasticity and Functional Recovery of the Brain after Trauma

Question 1

Define functional recovery:

Answer 1

-After physical injury, unaffected areas of the brain adapt and compensate for damaged areas

Question 2

What is functional recovery known as?

Answer 2

Plasticity

Question 3

Define plasticity:

Answer 3

Brains tendency to change and adapt as result of experience and new learning

Question 4

What happens during infancy?

Answer 4

growth of number of synaptic connections

Question 5

When does the synaptic connections peak?

Answer 5

Age 2-3

Question 6

Define synaptic pruning:

Answer 6

Rarely used synaptic connection as deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened

Question 7

Maguire et al (2000):

Answer 7

• Studies London Taxi Drivers
• Significantly more volume of grey matter in hippocampus
• Positive correlation

Question 8

Draganski et al (2006):

Answer 8

• Medical students three months before and after final exams

- Learning-induced differences in hippocampus and parietal cortex

Question 9

Doidge (2007):

Answer 9

-Brain rewires forming new synaptic connections close to damaged area

Question 10

What were the structural changes suggested by Doidge (2007)?

Answer 10

• Axonal sprouting
• Reformation of blood vessels
• Recruitment of homologous areas

Question 11

Application of plasticity in neurorehabillitation:

Answer 11

• Movement therapy

- Electrical stimulation

Question 12

Age and plasticity:

Answer 12

• Plasticity reduces with age

- Schneider et al (2014): association between adaptation of brain injury and length in education

Question 13

Negative plasticity:

Answer 13

-Phantom limb disorder associated with reorganisation of somatosensory cortex and drug uses on cognitive functioning and with dementia